Toothbrush



June 7, 1932. B J HERGET 1,862,142

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Sept. 1, 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 7, 1932BEN J. HERGET, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI TOOTHBRUSH Application filedSeptember 1, 1928. Serial No. 303,403.

This invention relates to tooth brushes of the type in which a permanentclamping handle is employed with an adjustable and removable brush head.

5 An object of this invention is to provide an improved tooth brushstructure, and particularlyan improved handle for use with a brush ofthe type mentioned; and to provide such a handle with clamping meansconsisting of relatively few component parts, of inexpensiveconstruction and arranged for ease of manipulation; the clamping meansbeing arranged for retaining, in adjustable and detachable engagement, abrush head having a. projecting element for efiecting an operative unionwith the handle.

A further object is to provide a toothbrush assembly, including africtional clamping mechanism, with improved means for substantiallyenclosing such mechanism for sanitary reasons, and to avoid anypossibility of abrasion of the oral membranes by exposed clampingelements.

A still further object is to construct a tooth brush assembly of therecited type, in such a manner that the parts may be inexpensivelyformed from standard tubular stock,for ex ample, metal or bakelitetubing of standard diameters, and Wire or other round stock of standardgauge.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing illustrative description of parts and the accompanyingdrawing, in which: 5 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferredembodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionalelevation, clearly illustrating the construction of the brush holdingelements.

Referring by numerals to the drawing, the handle 5 may be of tubularconstruction, as shown, is preferably of uniform section, and may beprovided with a closure member 6, to which," if preferred, may be joineda ring, hook or the like by which the brush may be suspended when not inuse. The handle may, if desired, be curved and flattened to conform tothe hand of the user, and may be formed of any desired material.Preferably permanently'secured to, and forming an integral part of theopposite end of the handle 5,is an extension or nut 7, providedwith athreaded internal axial bore 8, and'provided exteriorly with acircumferential bearing surface 9. The bearing surface is, bypreference, of slightly reduced diameter forming a shoulder 10, in sucha manner that the diameter of the threaded extension 7 adjacent thehandle, is substantially equal to that of the handle. Rotatably disposedon the bearing surface 9, is a sleeve or shroud 11, one end of whichabuts shoulder 10. The sleeve 11 is formed with oppositely taperedportions on each side of a relatively restricted portion, and its end,opposite the handle, is slightly flattened to form a fan-tail portion12, for the purpose of receiving and maintaining in parallel alignedrelation, a pairof arms 13 and 14 of a clamping element. These arms arejoined to form a loop 15, having a diameter normally slightly in excessof the diameter of a stud l6 on the brush head, which the loop isadapted to engage. The clamping element is by preference formed of asuitable metal wire stock, having a'certain inherent resilience, so thatwhen the loop '15 is released from the brush stud 16, the brush isreadily removable from, and angularly adjustable in, the loop. From theconstruction described, it will be seen that the sleeve 11 is maintainedin operative position on the brush handle by means of engagement betweena threaded portion .17, on the clamping element, with the internallythreaded bore 8 in the extension nut associated with the handle; I

1 By rotating the handle in the proper direction relative to the brushhead and sleeve, the clamping member will be drawn inwardly, or towardthe handle, the effect of the portion 12 of the sleeve on the arms 13 90and 14, being to constrict or tighten the loop portion 15 about theupstanding stud 1.6 on the brush head, thus holding the brush infrictional clamping engagement, and in any desired angular relation withrespect-to the handle. Obviously, relative motion between the sleeve 11and the clamping element is prevented by the manner .of engagement ofthe fan-tail portion of the sleeve ,with the arms 13 and 14, so thatthese parts rotate together in efiecting adjustment between the brushhead and the handle.

Upon a relatively slight rotative movement of the handle with respect tothe sleeve and clamping member, the brush'head and clamping member willbe extended sufficiently from the sleeve, for the loop 15 and arms 13and 14 to release the brush head for free adjustable movement thereof,to any desired angular setting. A slight tightening rotation of thehandle ag'ain'servesto maintain the adjusted angular setting of thebrush head and handle. A slightly greater releasing rotation of the.handle .or'sleeve,

' gradually tapering, exterior surface so as positively to avoid anychance of injury from projecting metal parts. 7 The present constructionis conducive to ease of cleansing the brush assembly, since the entiremechanism may be disassembled by relatively rotating the handle andsleeve; and'the tubular construction'of the sleeve, with its relatedparts, greatly facilitates cleaning. The described assembly providesagbrush'handle which is easily cleaned, attractive in appearance and ofinexpensive construction, in fulfillment of the objects'set forth above.

Ifclaim as my invention: 7 a '1; In. a tooth brush structure, a handle,a

brush holding element carried thereby, and having an open, partlycircular loop adapted to receive a brush element in relatively rotatablerelation, and having an elongate threaded leg extended toward thehandle, a tubular spacing member mounted for rotation relative to thehandle and disposed between the loop portion of said holding element,and said handle, coacting portions including a free, resilient legadjacent the loop on said holdingelement, a flared end portion on thespacer member and an internally threaded portion on the handle, saidportions adapted, upon relative rotation of the spacing member andhandle, to permit an adjustable de-- tachable engagement of a brush, bysaid I holding element.

1 2. In atooth brush structure, a handle, a holding element carriedthereby, and including an open loop adapted rotatably to receive abrush, one free end of the loop being ex: tended'toward the handle intothreaded engagement therewith, and a combined cover 7 for saidholdingelement and spacer between portions of said handle and holdingelement, adapted for rotation relative to the handle, and coacting meansconstituted by the handle, another free end of said loop, and the spaceradapted upon said rotational movement, to vary the pressure of saidspacer upon the loop portion of the holding element, whereby topermit-an adjustable and'detachable engagement of a brush by saidholding element."

3. A tooth brush structure including a brush portion, a handle, aholding element threadedly engaging the handle, and includingan openlooppivotally associated with the "brush portion, a'sleeve engaging saidhandle and substantially enclosing the holding element, and adaptedto'be axially rotated with said holding element and relatively withrespect to said handle,the sleeve having a, portion bearing laterallyagainst, said loop and adapted, upon such ,rotation, selectively totension the 'holdingelement, whereby to permit of angular adjustment ofthe brush portion with respect to thehandle.

4. A tooth brush structure including an adjustable brush headand ahandle therefor,

a connecting element engaging the brush and handle, formed of a lengthof materialof substantially uniform section, the brush-engaging endbeing bent upon itself to form an open loop with paired tapered legsextending therefrom toward the handle, a member substantially enclosingthe connecting'element and arranged for axial rotation, relative to thehandle, said memberhaving a tapered openendportion adapted, upon suchrotation, to bear, in actuating relation, upon one of the legs of theconnecting element, to permit'selective tension engagement between thebrush. head and handle and to permit removal and replacement of thebrush head.

5. A tooth brush structureincluding a handle, a variable tension clampfor detachably securing a brush head in adjustable relation to thehandle, a tubular member substantially enclosing said clamp, said memberbeing rotatable relative to the handle, and endwise displaceablerelative to the clamp, said member having an end portion adaptedselectively to actuate the clamp upon move ment relative thereto, andcoacting means carried by the clamp and handle, adapted to effect aselective tension adjustment of said clamping element, uponfaxialrotation of said member relative tothe handle.

, 6. Ina toothbrush structure includin an angularly adjustable brushhead, a handle,

brush head, formed of; a rod material'of sub-,

stantially'uniform section, one end portion of which is bent upon itselfto form an open loop, with a pair of. leg. portions extendingfrom onesideof the loop in rela;

tively tapered relation, one of the leg portions terminating adjacentthe loop, and the other leg having'a threaded portion adapted to engagesaid threaded bore, and an enclosing sleeve for the leg portions of theclamp-v ing member, axially rotatable with respect to the handle, theend portion of said sleeve engaging the leg portions of said clampingmember near said loop, and adapted to con- 1sltrigt the loop withrespect to said brush 7. In a tooth brush structure, a detachable brushhead provided with a clamp receiving stud; a handle provided with aninternally threaded, longitudinal bore; a resilient clamping elementadapted to connect the handle and brush head, the clamping element beingformed of a material of circular section and having one end bent uponitself to form an open loop adapted pivotally to engage the stud on saidbrush head; a sleeve adapted to receive and substantially to enclose aportion of said clamping element extending away from said loop, and toeffect a constricting action on the loop; said clamping element having athreaded portion engaging the threaded portion in the bore of saidhandle, and adapted thereby, upon relative rotation of the handle andsleeve, selectively to cause engagement of the free end of the sleevewith said loop, to constrict and permit expansion of said loop, aboutthe brush stud, whereby to permit angular adjustment of, and to maintainthe desired setting between, the brush head and handle.

BEN J. HERGET.

